The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has declined to reopen the appeal for gymnast Jordan Chiles to retain her medal following the 2024 Paris Olympics. USA Gymnastics received notification from CAS stating that their rules do not permit reconsideration of an arbitral award, even in the presence of new evidence.
Despite USA Gymnastics' efforts to present video evidence supporting Chiles' case, CAS maintained its decision. The organization expressed disappointment and vowed to explore all available avenues for appeal, including the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
The controversy arose after Chiles competed in the women's floor exercise final on August 5. Initially awarded the bronze medal, Chiles' placement was called into question due to a late inquiry filed by Team USA regarding the difficulty of one of her moves. The subsequent ruling favored Romania's Ana Barbosu, relegating Chiles to fourth place.
USA Gymnastics contested the timing of the inquiry submission, providing video evidence that the request was made within the stipulated one-minute deadline. However, CAS upheld its decision, reverting Chiles' score and awarding Barbosu the bronze medal.
In response to the ruling, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced plans to reallocate the bronze medal to Barbosu. Discussions are underway with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Romania for the reallocation ceremony and with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) for the return of the medal.
Barbosu, acknowledging the situation, expressed empathy towards Chiles, recognizing the disappointment she must be feeling. She offered words of encouragement, expressing confidence in Chiles' resilience and future success.
